Exposing Secret Sins

2 Chr 12:13-14 So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

Job 14:4 "Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!

Job 15:15-16 "Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; how much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

Job 31:33 "Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom, because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, and kept silent and did not go out of doors?

Jer 7:23-24 "But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.'

"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Ezek 8:12 Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'"

John 3:20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

"And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

II. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR ATTITUDE ABOUT HIDING OUR SINS?

Job 31:1 "I Have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?

Job 31:4 "Does He not see my ways, and number all my steps?

Psa 32:3-5 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.

Psa 51:1-3 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:7-10 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice. Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Eph 5:11-12 And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

Heb 3:13-14 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.

III. WHAT IS GOD’S POSITION CONCERNING THOSE WHO HIDE THEIR SINS?

Psa 24:3-4 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood.

Prov 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

Eccl 12:14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Isa 59:2 Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

Rom 2:15-16 …the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

1 Cor 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

Heb 10:26-27 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

IV. WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT HIDING OUR SINS?

Prov 4:23-27 Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you.

Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.

Isa 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

James 1:21 Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.